Detachable baseboards



9 3 7 8. 2 s m Am Mm S NM EE Wu .C on E D May 26, 1959 Filed May 17,1957 F IG.

FIG?

United States Patent DETA'CHABLE BASEBOARDS Oliver W. Bensman, Sidney,Ohio Application May 17, 1957, Serial No. 659,989

1 Claim. (Cl. 20-74) My invention relates to improvements in baseboardsfor interior room trim and to means for detachably attaching the same.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a baseboard and meansfor detachably attaching the same easily and quickly without nailingthrough the baseboard or wall or cementing to the wall, and which willsecurely hold the baseboard against a wall and seated on a floor.

Another object is to provide in conjunction with the above attachmentmeans for a baseboard which will form a weather-tight seal at thejuncture of a wall and floor behind the baseboard.

Still another object is to provide a baseboard and means for detachablyattaching the same which will permit electric wiring to be positionedbehind the baseboard between the same and the attaching means.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary exploded view in perspective, partly insection, of my improved baseboard and the attaching means and with abaseboard detached;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in vertical section of the baseboard andattaching means with the baseboard attached, and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the baseboard andattaching means with the baseboard attached.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, according to my invention, in thepreferred embodiment thereof, a baseboard 1 of any suitable material isprovided with a longitudinal, flat bottomed recess 3 in the rear sidethereof extending from end to end of the baseboard 1 and spaced belowthe upper edge portion 5 of said baseboard, and the bottom edge portion7 of the baseboard is provided with a longitudinal downwardly andrearwardly opening bottom groove 9 at a right angle to and in front ofthe recess 3.

Means for attaching the baseboard 1 in front of a wall 10 is providedcomprising the following.

A resilient, flexible retaining strip 11 of metal, preferably, and ofsubstantially the same length as the baseboard 1 and of a height to beentered in the recess 3 is attached in upstanding position behind thebaseboard 1 in front of the wall 10 to a floor 13 by a forwardlyextending longitudinal, bottom flange 15 on said strip 11 which isnailed, as at 17, to the floor 13 and which extends into the groove 9and forms with said strip '11 a right angled portion 19 on the retainingstrip 11 fitting in the angle at the juncture of a wall 11 and floor 13if the front of the wall 10 extends to the floor 13 as in the case of adrywall. The retaining strip 11 normally reacts against the wall 10 andis provided with a forwardly curved upper end portion 21 all for apurpose presently seen.

The baseboard 1 is provided with rear, vertical keeper bars 23 spacedapart longitudinally of the baseboard 1 and which are provided withupper ends 25 embedded and thus secured in the upper edge portion 5 ofthe baseboard 1 and which depends into the recess 3. The keeper bars 23are bent, as at 27 so that below said bends they normally lie in acommon plane with the back side 29 of the upper edge portion 5 of thebaseboard which is designed to fit flush against the wall 11).

To attach the baseboard 1, it is slid downwardly against the wall 10with the back side 29 of its upper edge portion 5 and the keeper bars 23sliding against said wall until said baseboard 1 seats on the floor 13as shown in Figure 3. This operation slides the keeper bars 23, belowthe bends 27 thereon between the wall 10 and the retaining strip 11 infrictional sliding engagement therewith, said bars 23 engaging the upperedge portion 21 of the retaining strip 11 whereby said strip is cammedand flexed forwardly so that said bars 23 may slide behind the retainingstrip 11, and said strip may react rearwardly to hold the back side 29of the upper edge portion 5 of the baseboard 1 against the wall 10 andalso to hold said baseboard perpendicular to the floor 13 by engagementof the flange 15 with the back of the groove 9. As will be seen inFigure 2, when the surface of the wall 10 extends downwardly behind thebaseboard 1 to the floor 13, the retaining strip 11 coacts with the wall10 to frictionally clamp the keeper bars 23 therebetween. Obviously,when the flange 15 abuts or engages the rear side of the groove 9 theback side 29 of the upper edge portion 5 of the baseboard 1 will engagethe wall 10 flatly. Obviously, the baseboard 1 may be readily detachedand removed by prying it upwardly until the keeper bars 23 pass abovethe upper edge portion 21 of the retaining strip 11. When the baseboard1 is attached as described, the retaining strip 11 is spaced from thebottom of the recess 3 so that electric wires may be positioned in saidspace, also other electrical conductors.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents maybe resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

In combination, a base board having an upper edge portion including aback adapted to fit against a wall, a bottom edge adapted to rest on afloor, and a longitudinal back recess therein open at said back fromsaid upper edge portion to said bottom edge, a plurality of keeper barsin said recess fixed in and depending from said upper edge portion inspaced relation to the bottom of the recess and spaced longitudinally ofsaid base board, a resilient retaining strip slidable relativelyupwardly between said keeper bars and the bottom of the recess andhaving a forwardly extending bottom flange attachable to a floor, and arearwardly and downwardly opening longitudinal groove in the bottom edgeof said base board receiving said flange therein, said keeper barshaving portions below said upper edge portion lying flush with said backfor engaging a wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS336,381 Bingham Feb. 16, 1886 906,218 Goddard Dec. 8, 1908 1,155,149Hathome Sept. 28, 1915 2,068,562 Murphy Jan. 19, 1937 2,269,384 SpinosaJan. 6, 1942 2,604,776 Goldsmith July 29, 1952 2,676,483 Nelsson Apr.27, 1954

